PDP Energizer 2X Charging System for Xbox One Review

We purchased the PDP Energizer 2X Charging System for Xbox One so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full product review.

The Xbox One has proven to be a great console over the years, but one thing that can really disrupt your gaming is a dead controller battery. Unlike the PS4’s DualShock controllers which use built-in rechargeable batteries, the Xbox One relies on your standard AA — or a third-party solution like PDP's Energizer 2X Charging System. With a simple system like this, you can forget about needing to frantically steal your TV remote’s batteries when your charge runs low. Read on to see what we think of Energizer’s solution to this age-old problem in our review.

Design: A handy stand to store and charge your controllers

This particular charging system from PDP is not their first for the Xbox One. There have been a few different versions over the years (including the one that was recalled for melting controllers and causing burns), but this one gets it right. 

The design is quite simple, featuring one charging station made of plastic with a front-facing screen to display the charging levels, two Energizer battery packs, two white and two black battery doors/covers and one AC power cable. While it is nice that there are both white and black covers for matching controllers, the plastic does feel a bit cheap and isn’t a perfect match to the controllers, though this is just personal taste and doesn’t affect their operation in any way. The system is compatible with original Xbox One controllers, Xbox One S controllers, and Elite controllers, but may not work with third-party versions. 

Thanks to some clever design, the controllers are cradled in the charging dock very nicely (with either one or two in the dock). This snug fit comes from the bracket shape on the battery covers that snugly locks them into place while docked, ensuring your controllers keep charging effectively, even if they get bumped around a bit. Some charging docks we tested were not so great in this area and can be a chore to get situated properly. This wins the PDP system some points in our book. Aside from the dock itself acting as a charger, it also doubles as a handy stand for storing two controllers when not in use.

One thing to note is that there is no charging cable included to charge controllers while in use. This means that you’ll need to keep one pack charged at all times, lest you find yourself with two dead battery packs and no way to continue gaming. These packs also cannot be charged independently on their own, so you’ll need to charge them inside a controller on the dock (meaning you also need two controllers to do so).

Setup Process: Plug and play

Setting up your new charging system could not be easier. First, plug the dock into an outlet with the included AC adaptor. Next, you’ll want to pop in one of the Energizer battery packs with any official Xbox One controller, slide on the new battery door cover (you must use these so that the battery can make contact with the charging points on the dock) and simply place the controller into the dock with the front facing towards you. The controller should lock in a bit and then you’ll see the light at the front of the dock illuminate to indicate you’re now charging. When it’s finished, the light will change from red to green to show it’s fully charged and ready to play. There are two separate LEDs to indicate the levels of each controller for those charging two at a time.

Charging Speed: Fast charging that won’t slow you down

The most important question gamers will want to know the answer to is just how fast this charging system will actually charge. Luckily, it’s pretty quick—thanks to its use of an AC adapter versus a USB adapter. We tested the charging speed after fully draining a battery pack and found it to go from 0 to 100 percent in about 20 or 30 minutes. This speed is excellent, firmly ranking the PDP dock among the fastest available.

Battery: Much better than your old AAs

The battery pack that the PDP system uses is an Xbox One Energizer 2X Charger Battery. Roughly the same size as two AA batteries fused together, it’s a NiMH battery with 1200mAh or 2.4V. While not the highest capacity battery pack you can find for Xbox One controllers, it’s more than adequate. PDP claims that these packs will last up to 35 hours of gameplay out of the box, and our tests confirm this to be pretty accurate, give or take a couple hours depending on use, controller, and settings. While 35 hours is great, like all rechargeable batteries, this number will inevitably dwindle over time as it ages, but that’s not unexpected. Thankfully, you can also pick up fresh packs for this system individually for only about $6.

Price: Affordable and competitive

Currently, you can expect to pay around $25-30 for the Energizer 2X Charging System, and it’s available at a range of online or brick-and-mortar stores. While this price point isn’t the most affordable option, we feel it’s fair. For this price, you get the dock, two battery packs, and four battery door covers in different color options. If you do need four packs for local split-screen games, you’ll need to spend another $12 for two additional packs, so that’s not too shabby either. You definitely get what you pay for when it comes to gaming accessories, so choose wisely if you steer away from licensed charging systems.

PDP Energizer 2X Charging System for Xbox One vs. AmazonBasics Dual Charging Station for Xbox One

There is a ton of competition, but one choice many gamers turn to for charging systems is the AmazonBasics version. So how does it stack up? Thankfully both are officially licensed by Xbox, so no worries there. They both pretty much use the same dock style and same AC adapter for charging but differ in a few key areas.

While the PDP version includes four doors (two black, two white), the AmazonBasics one only gives you two black. The Amazon version also has a slightly decreased capacity at 1100mAh, compared to PDP's 1200mAh. That said, Amazon’s is about $5 cheaper, so if you don’t care about the white battery covers, then it may be worth saving money.

It’s also worth noting that there are better charging systems for those who might have different needs. If you want to save some space, Amazon also makes a system that charges the packs independently of a dock or controllers that simply attaches to the side of your Xbox. There are also other options that will charge while you’re playing, so you have options based on your specific needs. 

Check out our list of The 9 Best Xbox One Accessories of 2019 to see even more awesome accessories to enhance your gaming experience.